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Cheap lens challenge!
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 7:37 pm    Post subject: Cheap lens challenge! Reply with quote
Time for a bit of fun Smile Following on from the discussion around the term "cheap" and the lack of lenses available on ebay, I'd like to propose a challenge!

The challenge

1. Buy a lens, excluding postage, for a price of no more than:

£5.00 / €6.00 / $8.00 USD, AUD, CAD

2. Once you receive it, link to the completed auction as proof (if buying from ebay) Wink

3. Then go out, enjoy yourself and take a variety of pictures:

1 x Landscape
1 x Flower / plant (because, let's face it, we always get one anyway Laughing)
1 x Freestyle (whatever you want...street shot / portrait / wildlife etc.)

4. Share them and accept compliments AND criticism!

5. If people demand 100% crops...be honest and give them! Laughing

Note: I am looking for photographers of all abilities to go out and shoot great pictures with what are considered to be "rubbish" lenses. The idea behind this is to see more pictures from "no name brand" lenses and raise awareness, as well as to answer that question "Is it the lens or the photographer?" Smile

I have posted here for maximum attention, but will be happy for it be moved to the Contests section if required.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! Very Happy

Last edited by ManualFocus-G on Thu Apr 14, 2011 9:57 pm; edited 2 times in total


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 7:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
point 1. automatically disqualifies me...just postage to my country is usually minimum 20$


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 7:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
WolverineX wrote:
point 1. automatically disqualifies me...just postage to my country is usually minimum 20$


OK, let me change the rules to make it fair for all Smile


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 7:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
haha, i can take part immediately ... -> http://forum.mflenses.com/what-are-the-biggest-bargains-you-have-found-t27202,start,435.html#1126320

and i will do ... Cool

but i have several cheap glases from flea markets ... Sad

greets leo


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 8:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have a Fujica ST605n + Fujinon 2.2/55 where the total cost was $3 + shipping. I'd have to dig up the ebay email for proof if needed Laughing


$3 camera by Nesster, on Flickr

Is this a landscape?

Those living in the past do not yet know the future by Nesster, on Flickr

This is not a flower, but may be reminiscent of one?

14A_0017 by Nesster, on Flickr

Oh wait, this has a plant in it, but I'll count as freestyle Wink

15A_0018 by Nesster, on Flickr


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 8:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Leo - Great stuff Smile The ebay rule is prove that bargains can still be had there if you look close enough Wink I'm very keen to see how some of the lesser known lenses perform too Cool

Jussi - You have broken ALL the rules, but the pictures are welcome nonetheless Laughing That Fujinon is a cracker...I won a beat up copy for £0.99 a couple of years back and it still astonishes me Shocked


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 8:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Great idea, Graham!
Now, let me check the "BAY". Wink


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 8:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Quote:
Jussi - You have broken ALL the rules, but the pictures are welcome nonetheless That Fujinon is a cracker...I won a beat up copy for £0.99 a couple of years back and it still astonishes me


Yes, as such I thought this would be illustrative of cost not equating to performance. Actually the whole thing was a lark to see what the cheapest route to photography could be: the film was a 99 cent special, and the CVS development/scan cost of $4.79 was offset by a $5 coupon Twisted Evil

Actually, I should note that the filter was included, and by itself is easily worth the $3... but let's say I can get that for $1. Leaves $2 for the camera and lens. If we say the camera itself is worth $10-15, then the value of the lens, in its ugly condition, is a negative $8-13 Laughing

I shall seek out the bay and try this out with the rules in mind...


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 8:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Great idea 4 a contest. Has to be bought AFTER you posted??????


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 8:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
martyn_bannister wrote:
Great idea 4 a contest. Has to be bought AFTER you posted??????


That was the general idea Laughing


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 8:49 pm    Post subject: Re: Cheap lens challenge! Reply with quote
Excellent idea, I've started looking already.

But..

ManualFocus-G wrote:
..... excluding postage.......


... the postage has to be reasonable e.g no more than 10% above actual postage cost. Otherwise its easy to win a lens at £0.99 because the seller wants £10 2nd class postage, which actually means the lens really cost £7.99.

Mark


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 8:52 pm    Post subject: Re: Cheap lens challenge! Reply with quote
SXR_Mark wrote:
Excellent idea, I've started looking already.

But..

ManualFocus-G wrote:
..... excluding postage.......


... the postage has to be reasonable e.g no more than 10% above actual postage cost. Otherwise its easy to win a lens at £0.99 because the seller wants £10 2nd class postage, which actually means the lens really cost £7.99.

Mark


Hi Mark

I originally doubled the allowed value to include postage, but I of course forgot that a number of our members are from countries without their own ebay site = expensive shipping. I think we'll see if someone pays way too much for shipping, as the link to the auction needs to be provided Wink

Looking forward to your images!

Graham


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 9:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Better to extend this challenge to any source without postal cost, current rules exclude many members who are not living in big countries automatically. (international postal cost is a serious factor for them)


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 9:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Unfortunately, here in the US, shipping isn't nearly as cheap as it used to be just a few years ago. On feeBay these days, typical shipping price for small items I'm finding is usually in the $8 to $10 range.


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 9:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Let's agree to allow the entrant to decide if they are "playing fair" with the postage costs. It's only a bit of fun after all. I just want to see what sort of images can be made with "cheap" lenses.

Personally, I will set myself the target of a total cost of £5 + (1.1x actual postage charge) to see if something decent really can be had for so little.

Actually, I think this could be rather tough. Looking back through my records, I've only ever bought three lenses off ebay for less than £5.

Tamron 103A (£3.20 + £3.99 P&P)
Chinon 135mm f2.8 (£1.56 + £4.00 P&P)
Fujinon-TV 35mm f1.7 c-mount (£2.90 +£2.24 P&P)

Any of these would prove the point that you can get a good lens for very little, but I can't enter them as I've already got them. 'Crying or Very sad'

Mark


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 9:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Alright then, to ensure everyone can show off their bargains...lenses can come from anywhere but should still fall within the financial limits at the top of the thread Smile

It would be great to see some relatively unkwon brands such as Cimko, Mitakon etc. as well as those great lenses which have been bought for peanuts!


PostPosted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 10:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Make it Camera and lens and it would knock out most of the digital guys and be a film thread Laughing


PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 12:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I will start looking. My goal is something unknown, or weird. That's kinda funny that describes most of my lens collection. Very Happy Laughing


PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 1:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
...and suddenly, there's a price explosion in the cheap, under $8 lens category on ebay...


PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 7:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
SXR_Mark wrote:

Actually, I think this could be rather tough. Looking back through my records, I've only ever bought three lenses off ebay for less than £5.

Got me beat by three. Looking back at the cheap lenses I've bought off eBay and anywhere else, the closest I can come to this price level will depend on the way I do the math.

For example, a couple years ago, I bought a Vivitar S1 24-48 off eBay for $40, but the price included a Canon AE-1 as a rear lens cap. Which is the way I looked at the purchase because I was bidding on the lens, not the camera. Turned around and sold the AE-1 for $20, so I ended up paying $20 for the lens, total. About this same time, I bought a Tamron Adaptall-2 mount for Canon FD that just happened to have a Tamron SP 60-300mm attached to it. Paid $20 for the Adaptall-2 mount, and basically got the 60-300 for free. I've always looked at it that way because I already owned a 60-300 and didn't need another, but since it was going for so cheap and there was no bidding activity, I decided to go for it. I also have five 50mm lenses that I can think of offhand that were basically front lens caps to cameras I bought. So, using this analysis, I didn't pay anything for them, either.

So that's what I mean by it depends on how I do the math. Cuz, far as I'm concerned I got the Tamron 60-300 and five 50s for free. So as long as this sort of "creative accounting" is acceptable to the rest of ya, I'll use these lens to play.

Sorry, no unusual or oddball lenses. They are:

Oly Zuiko 50/1.8
Canon FD 50/1.8 SC
Canon FD 50/1.4 chrome nose
Canon FD 50/1.4 SSC
Nikon AI 50/1.8
Tamron 60-300/3.8-5.4

Last edited by cooltouch on Fri Apr 15, 2011 6:11 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 7:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Remember we are looking for cheap lenses here! Getting a fantastic, well known lens for next to nothing is not part of the challenge Wink

I picked a lens up last night for £2.20 + postage (postage was quite high, but total cost was £10 or so). Will disclose details once it's posted Laughing


PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 8:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I give up. I have never gotten any lens at anything near that price. Sad My filter even cost more than that Sad Sad


PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 8:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Nesster wrote:
...and suddenly, there's a price explosion in the cheap, under $8 lens category on ebay...

Laughing Laughing I was thinking that...my cheap lenses usually are under $20au including postage...I will have a look and see what I can come up with. Very Happy
Just think of all those lucky sellers out there who will finally move "that" lens... Laughing


PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 6:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
ManualFocus-G wrote:
Remember we are looking for cheap lenses here! Getting a fantastic, well known lens for next to nothing is not part of the challenge Wink


Hang on a second. Considering the recent thread we've had regarding what is meant by the word "cheap," you've just added a new definition for the word. According to what you've written above, it definitely seems that, by "cheap," you mean inexpensive and obscure. First time I've ever seen the word "cheap" used to mean 'obscure.'

So, this is an [inexpensive] + [obscure] challenge, then, eh?

Well, in that case then, I can't play. I do not buy obscure lenses ordinarily. I buy gear that I think will do a good job, don't have the resources to buy gear on speculation. Closest I've ever gotten to buying an obscure lens was a Helios 44M I bought a couple months ago for $20, and I bought it only because of the posts I've seen at this forum about it. So it really wasn't all that of an unknown quantity.


PostPosted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 6:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I'm not sure that was the precise intent... Getting a Sonnar or Nikkor or similar for $8 is indeed fortunate, high way robbery, and clearly a fluke Laughing For $8 these would indeed be cheap lenses.

I think the fun here is to find the overlooked, the kind of lens that is characterized as 'cheap' either as a put down or as a brag - Look at this fine un-appreciated lens I unearthed!

The Fuji 55/2.2 above certainly isn't obscure, but it is overlooked, looked down upon, worthless amongst the cognoscenti Laughing yet able to be bought for a song and to perform very well indeed.
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